Why Most Indie Music Groups and Labels Fail (Part 2)

This is part 2 of a 2 part article I wrote strictly based on my professional experience producing and engineering and managing artists. Since 2006, I’ve been involved as a key member in several music groups, labels, and production teams that despite all their potential to achieve greatness, fail and fall apart, often at critical moments.

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Could You Handle a Full-time Music Career?

Many artists I know tell me that they’d love to be able to do music for a living, to make their band a full-time occupation. Often times, my initial reaction (that I usually keep to myself) is asking, “Really? What would you do?”

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In the Music Industry, the Best Form of Revenge is Success

Rejection. It can sting. Whether it is a promoter or a record label who doesn’t want to give you the opportunity to shine or it is a critic who writes a bad review of your music, the reality is that sooner or later, you’re going to face rejection. How you deal with that rejection can ultimately determine your success.

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Artists Participate In A Global Music Conference Without Leaving Home

Nashville based Indie Connect, an educational and networking organization for working artists, songwriters and musicians, is bringing all of the features and benefits of a live global music conference right into the artist’s home. The IC Virtual Music Conference and Expo will feature 3 days of high-level international networking, over 50 expert presentations by experts worldwide, a music business trade show and both live and video artist showcases. And best of all, it is being held exclusively online.

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Paina B Music Marketing is asking Indie Artists and Indie Labels….Who handles your marketing?

Music Marketing Company looking for new clients to “Promote to the next level”

(ATLANTA, GA), August 1, 2012 – Paina B Music Marketing is launching a new campaign “Who handles your marketing?” in hopes to recruit indie artists and labels to promote to the next level. This company is looking to take on new clients to provide quality marketing services to them in hopes gain exposure in the entertainment industry. Launched in December 2010, Paina B has worked with pop, rap, and R&B artists in providing ways to enhance their brand according to the artists’/label’s goals and objectives.

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Life as a roadie

If you love music, becoming a roadie can be one of the most fun and exciting jobs you can have. In addition to traveling to all sorts of cities around the world and interacting with fans, you get to hear live music for free. These benefits, however, come at something of a cost. Setting up all the equipment is hard work and it can be difficult keeping up with your dental and medical care while traveling every other day.

As a roadie, you take care of all of the heavy lifting that goes into putting on a concert, which can be difficult and dangerous. You move equipment, hang up lights, set up and work from scaffolding, move cables and any other tasks related to a specific concert. Being a roadie requires a lot of physical strength, stamina and care as occupational hazards are more common. Dangers, although extreme, include falling from a platform or being electrocuted when setting up lighting, amps or other high-voltage equipment. The most common hazard is likely related to the weight of the items being moved. Given the rush involved with setting up and breaking down shows, the risk of hurting or overexerting yourself is heightened. Muscle strains and sprains, hernias and even dehydration are common results of overexertion.

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And the award goes to…….

Celebrating the small wins

All artists want to be recognized for their craft/art. And recognition can come in many forms. The main forms of recognition, that artists often go after, generally falls under the categories of awards, high sales, popular media exposure, and other opportunities/offers within the entertainment industry. However, some artists will not get these on large scales.  If you find yourself in the latter scenario then don’t hesitate to celebrate the small wins/recognitions. Since the world isn’t making a big deal about it….YOU should make a big deal about it. Get people involved and get them to care about what you’ve accomplished. Hey you worked hard to earn it….why not brag about it?!?!

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Have a plan. But don’t expect to stick to it.

In my brief time working in the music industry there is one thing that I have learned. No matter how hard you try nothing will go as planned. But that does not mean that you should not have a plan. Having goals and a specific target that you are working towards is important.

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Music Business Training: How hard would you say it is to be successful in the music industry?

Multi-platinum music producer, educator, and book author, Sahpreem A. King shares music business advice on how to become successful in the music business.

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A Brief History of The Music Industry

This blog looks at the history of the music industry, where the business of music started, how the three main parts of the industry evolved, and how we have got to the industry we know today. Hopefully, by the end of the blog you will know the differences between the live, publishing and recording industries as well as how they came to be.

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I'm your #1 Fan....what would you call me?

We’ve all heard of the “Beliebers”, “Barbies”, “Armies”, “Angels”, and “Navies”, if you haven’t, these names represent a musician’s fans/fan club. Have you ever thought about putting a fan club or group together? If not, then maybe you should start. Nothing will get your fans more riled up to come out and support than placing a “brand” on them as well. This will also help you to stand out and continue the awareness for yourself in this industry.

When looking to name the brand of your fans, find something that is creative and that coincides with your image and/or stage name. This will make it easier for media, potential fans, and industry professionals connect you with your fan club/group. Also, look for a logo that is similar to your own (if you have one) to place on merchandise, social media pages, and your website. Start creating the buzz about your group by reaching out to your fans first. Thank them for their support and congratulate them on being the first members of your fan group.

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THE ERA OF MUSIC 3.0 IS REAL... HERE'S PROOF

In this article I pronounce the new era of music, Music 3.0, is real.  As proof I offer this video chronicling the band For All I Am using Song Prediction, a digital tool that predicts the commercial potential of a newly recorded song, and even better, provides suggestions for improving it.  Digital tools like Song Prediction are also the replacement for today’s record label promotion spending. They allow bands to give fans new experiences that surprise and delight, causing growth to go viral. If making great music and music promotion are a band’s most difficult jobs, the digital solutions to do it better, quicker and cheaper are here… right now.

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Bad Press...Take It of Leave It (from BRASH! - A Music Marketing Blog)

“People gonna talk about you ’til the day you die; and there ain’t nothing you can do about it.” This is one of my favorite Madea movie quotes because this is true.  Especially in the entertainment industry where artists are constantly being watched, attacked, and ridiculed for making life’s mistakes or even for things that are blown out of the water by the press. A few artists escape the daily bashing by flying under the radar and keeping a simple private life.  While others feed on the bad press to stay relevant and/or capture attention towards their latest project.  But is exposure for your music REALLY worth the negative press?

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"I Want To Work In The Music Industry"

You know the saying: if you love what you do, you’ll never work a day in your life.  It’s not 100% accurate (there will always be aspects of your job that you’ll hate… I’m looking at you, accounting), but I do think people need to follow their passions and make careers out of them.

I meet lots of people who tell me they want to work in the music industry.  After all, music is something that’s easy to be passionate about, so why not make a career out of that?  Makes sense.

I get lots of people asking me advice on how to get started. I was just speaking with someone last week who graduated with an MBA who wanted to work in the industry, and he asked me “Where do I start? Who’s hiring? What kind of jobs are out there?”

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